Rhode Island Rallying Resolve to Deny NDAA

Rhode Island state rep Dan Gordon sounded excited in his Monday morning voicemail to TAC:

“I just checked our committee calendar and the NDAA resolution has been scheduled for a second hearing this coming Wednesday…We’re virtually assured passage out of committee to the house floor and then passage on the house floor.”

Gordon was referring to H7916 (“TO PRESERVE HABEAS CORPUS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES OF THE CITIZENS OF RHODE ISLAND”), his legislation that garnered literally a majority of the house members as co-sponsors.  It is legislation that would deny the authority of the Federal government to order kidnapping as described in the National Defense Authorization Act.

“With this second hearing- on it’s own course right now.  I don’t expect much debate at all- there will be limited commentary but I don’t see much opposition.  Typically, a bill doesn’t get through to the house floor without the consent of the Speaker of the House.  If a bill has no chance, it will not normally get a second hearing.” said Gordon in a follow up call Monday.

Gordon suggested that folks who want to help ought to petition the Senate for the next few weeks, where Senator Josh Miller has found tepid support for his companion NDAA bill (S2083).  Then, after the close of the part-time legislature, there is much more that can be done, according to Gordon.

“It takes quite a bit of time for a person to travel to the state capitol- It’s better for many people to press local officials for the same type of anti NDAA laws that the house is close to passing.  State level legislators, including Senators,  look to municipal legislation to know how to vote on things like the Senate’s companion anti-NDAA bill.  There are many great examples already of NDAA legislation at the municipal level- it would be outstanding to see communities in Rhode Island follow suit.” explained Gordon.

Rhode Island may not be the first state you think of when the topic of Federalist stalwarts comes up, but as Gordon recalled “Battle of bunker hill” was pre-Boston tea party.  In that event, colonials from Rhode Island burned the King’s ship ‘Gaspee’.  He reflected on this legacy when describing the scope of the opposition to the NDAA in the RI house.

“We have a rich history in our roots [in RI] having been stalwarts since the early days of the republic- we were the first to declare independence.  I’m proud to see that we’re taking the lead in this aspect and getting back to our heritage of sorts.  At the very least, we are showing via this resolution the fact that we intend to uphold our oath to the constitutions of Ri and the US.  At the very least we will show that we have united the political spectrum here.”

ACTION ITEMS

If you live in Rhode Island, contact your representative and urge them to pass H7916. Also contact your senator and ask them to pass S2083

You can find contact information for your representative HERE.

You can find contact information for you senator HERE.

To track liberty preservation legislation across the U.S. click HERE.

For model liberty preservation legislation, click HERE.

Tags: Dan Gordon, NDAA